Dear Dr. Donohue: Sprinting, distance runs different

Paul DonohueSyndicated columnist

Published Saturday, July 25, 2009

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have been running for at least five years and run five or more miles almost daily. Yesterday, I played basketball with my two teenage sons. I was out of breath, and they weren't breathing hard. Has all my running been in vain? I thought I was in excellent shape. -- D.R.

ANSWER: You can rest assured that your running program has put you in good shape. Running five or more miles almost daily has given your heart an excellent workout, kept you on the lean side and should have lowered your blood pressure and cholesterol.

Distance running is not the same kind of running that sprinting is. Distance running is aerobic exercise, the kind of exercise where large muscles (the leg muscles) are in continuous movement for prolonged time periods. Aerobic exercise is the kind of exercise recommended for heart health. It's the kind that prevents heart attacks and strokes.

Sprinting, on the other hand, is a completely different sort of exercise. What you did when you were playing with your sons is sprinting exercise. If you want a name for it, it is anaerobic exercise, exercise where a different fuel is needed and where oxygen consumption isn't emphasized. Sprinting does provide different benefits, and it's necessary for athletes whose sports call for intense bursts of speed. The fact that sprinting left you breathless shouldn't surprise you.

Granted, professional basketball players are in constant motion and both sprint and then run at a pace that would be considered more of a jog. They perform both aerobic and anaerobic exercise.

If you want to run fast for short distances, you have to practice sprinting. For the occasional basketball game with your sons, I wouldn't advise you to waste your time. Stick with long-distance running for your heart.